“If you feel like you’re doing everything, you’re doing too much.” -Gemma Hartley.

Have you ever been reading a book and got mad at the protagonist? Because you can’t believe they are tolerating what they are tolerating and not advocating for themselves? I felt that way when I started Fed Up: Emotional Labor, Women, and the Way Forward written by today’s guest Gemma Hartley. It didn’t take long for me to realize I wasn’t mad AT her, I was mad WITH and FOR her. Her writing, her story, is so beyond relatable it feels like you’re reading your own journal.

Today we talk about how motherhood is often assumed to be synonymous with martyrdom, the pressure of “motherhood intuition,” and wondering where the hell “fatherly intuition” comes into play.

We don’t hear much about “fatherly intuition.”  

Why?

Because we are conditioned to believe that after giving birth moms spontaneously download an comprehensive, exhaustive guidebook from the heavens to know how to single handedly handle everything. 

But when in a partnership, there are two adults present. Two human beings with two sets of experiences, information, and intuition that can be utilized. 

But no one asks dad what his “fatherly intuition” is telling him. 

Gemma Hartley is THE go to gal for everything emotional labor and I nearly passed out having her on the podcast!!! She is a freelance journalist and the author of FED UP: Women, Emotional Labor, and the Way Forward. She is passionate about creating a more equitable world in which invisible labor is valued and supported by both personal partners and public policy alike.

This convo is filled with deep thoughts and LOTS of laugh. It does not disappoint. 

Resources: 

• Learn more about Gemma and her incredible work at www.gemmahartley.com
• Follow Gemma on instagram @gemmalhartley
• Gemma’s Women’s Health article about Forest Bathing
• The Omega Institute
• Cormac McCarthy’s The Road
• Download your FREE guide to the 20 Things No One Tells You About Pregnancy and Postpartum, visit www.alissa-alter.com
• Join our private Facebook community Mom’s Club for the community of like minded, intentional moms hanging out in a 100% judgement free zone you’ve always dreamed of

Loved this episode? Remember to follow or subscribe for free so you don’t miss an episode of Myth of Motherhood.